Put In Check
by Aiko Isari
Summary: 02 AU. In 2000, Ichijouji Ken is hit by a truck. In 2002, his brother searches for a way to the Digital World, into the secrets of the people he is closest to. But his reasons may not be his own and he may not be ready for what he finds. For a remi


_Prologue: The Breaking Point_

In the evenings, unaware of the world around her, Yagami Hikari wandered the streets of Tokyo. No one noticed her leave or come home. No one paid much attention to the lithe child (eleven is still a child's age) wandering the streets of the city, except to think disdainfully of her and her parents, and even then, not for very long. _She_ did not even think of the fact that she has been wandering.

One person did, a young man, even.

Akiyama Ryo trailed after her, footsteps almost inaudible in the night time. He was across the street, no matter where she went, a couple meters behind her. His brown hair covered his eyes, like the brim of a hat. She paid him no notice, and in turn he granted her every iota of his attention.

Then, underneath the awning of a bus station, at the edge of the Rainbow Bridge, she turned to him. What were once somewhat red eyes, so full of gentle light and mercy, were now blue and green and _hungry_.

"Don't you have better things to be doing, Wizarmon?" she asked him, brushing the dark sleeves of her clothes. The speaker had no choice but to acknowledge the follower, otherwise, they would look silly. "Calling that "mystical order"? Seeking out prophecies? Telling her family-" She gestured to herself. "-who and what I am?" She tilted her head to look past him, through him even. "Do you think nobody will believe you?"

Wizarmon planted his hands in his pockets. "Nobody really will." He smiled, and the expression was as disarming as it was chilling. "You've made sure of it, Vamdemon." The word was spoken with plenty of contempt, just enough even. "Skulking about, wandering around with no real aim. Did you actually get anywhere during these past few years?"

Vamdemon scoffed, the sound unnatural with the human girl's own vocal chords. " _You_ saw the evidence of that."

"He's alive." Wizarmon did not rise to the taunt, did not put a name to a face. "He walks. He talks. He fought before you struck him. Too little, too late."

"Don't be so _obtuse_." Vamdemon laughed, though the eyes sparkled with malice. "Am I that simple?"

Wizarmon smiled, a cocky, almost sweet grin. "Yes. You are."

The vampire touched his chest with her palm. "You wound me."

"You've failed." Wizarmon did not waver, did not back down or scowl. He knew better. He had to tug the answer out. Of course it was not that simple. With Vamdemon, there was always a back exit somewhere. That was why Chosen Children needed to be strong. It was why so many things went wrong.

 _And to think he's just an outcast of someone else._ Ryo's voice was so quiet and thoughtful, never like it was around his friends.

Wizarmon didn't respond to the thought either. He couldn't. It would bring up so much. Too much.

Vamdemon sighed. "Well, _perhaps_." He sat on the wooden bench, expression still mirthful despite the twinkle of derision in his eyes.

"You'll never keep a hold of her." The words were a bluff. The parasite had clung on for three years. If he really wanted to, he could stay and eat Yagami Hikari alive, devour her very soul until the eighth, the light, was extinguished. Then he would rise again.

Vamdemon laughed, a high-pitched giggle that would have been demeaning if it didn't sound like the misfiring of a spell. It promised suffering. It promised pain. It promised the breaking of this little girl. His next words froze Wizarmon in his tracks.

"Don't you think I know that?"

Vamdemon rose to stride over to him. Wizarmon stepped back. He could do very little. If he tried to revive himself, it would do something to his host, _and that was not allowed no matter what_. But Vamdemon did not have those qualms and he probably could kill her right now. But he just kept smiling, twisting that innocent girl and leaving nothing left to chance, just like the vampire he always was. The fingers lifted his jaw, tilted it up, so mocking, so cruel. "I noticed that immediately. She just won't give. And I don't know why. So I've been searching. Searching for a new way, a new place. And I think I've found it."

The air shuddered, dropping from a gentle spring wind to a winter's chill. A purple mist poured from the girl's body, her mouth, her nose, her eyes, her ears. She gagged, coughing and clawing at nothing until there was a large cloud floating over her head. She collapsed to the ground, only not hitting her head because Wizarmon was fast enough to catch her. The cloud swiveled slowly, roiling around. Wizarmon did not shiver, only glared at the dark mass with all the strength his blue eyes possessed. It was looking at him, he was sure of it.

Then, it was gone, faded into wisps in the air.

Wizarmon looked down at Hikari. He checked her pulse and heard wheezes so faint they might as well not be there at all. Her heart was so slow. She wouldn't last.

He needed to chase down the wisps, guess at where the monster was going. He needed to stop him before he hurt, or even killed, anybody else.

Instead, he picked up Hikari to place her on his host's back, and started to run for the nearest hospital.

 _For you, Tailmon,_ he thought desperately, to justify himself. _For you. All for you._

And for Ryo, too.

* * *

In the hospital waiting area, Ryo did as he was bid, and waited. Waited for the Yagami family to arrive. Waited for the Eighth Child to wake up. Waited for Wizarmon to stop lying to himself.

 _My fault,_ he finally said. Ryo agreed silently.

 _She's_ _gonna live,_ he replied.

 _It's still my fault._

 _Then it's mine too, Millie._

Wizarmon's agitation was so great, so much of a buzz, that he didn't notice his own nickname, or dissuade Ryo's words. Ryo didn't repeat it. He knew how the Digimon got. But this was the what-ifs playing through their heads. If they had found each other sooner, if they had realized faster, if they had accepted each other earlier…

The world didn't just rely on those what-ifs. It relied on wishes, effort, other people, and determination.

Ryo sat in his chair and hoped Yagami Hikari had the determination to wake from near-death. It would be their best hope at stopping Vamdemon if she did.

He got up from his chair, going to call Osamu.

It was time for them to have a talk.

* * *

 ** _A/N:_** A couple days late but still on time for the exchange so yay me! This is a late gift for a remi with all of the fixings: suffering, evil, Osamu, Ken, Ryo, or am I talking to a Light? I don't know but I hope you like it remi! Especially when it gets updated.

... I wonder if anyone saw the thing coming? No? Oops. Well, please review and tell me anyway!

Also if you haven't read the earlier stories, the only one that you really need to read is Power Affair, though the others do provide world building. To see the series list, please check my profile for my fanfic website Aiko's Fic Vortex (shameless plug) under the series list, 'Other'. thanks!

Challenges: what if challenge, Diversity Writing Challenge (Digimon) K31. Write a rewrite (of a season or of the entire series, Advent Calendar 2015 BONUS 1, and Secret Santa Exchange 2015!


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